Lockable leg brace joint



Unite Sites 3,043,297 Patented July. 10, 1962 This invention relates to orthopedic braces, and more particularly to leg braces having pivoted knee joints.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved leg brace and locking knee joint, which affords a strong and sturdy support to the wearer, and is proof against failure even though subjected to forces greatly in excess of those normally encountered.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved leg brace as above set forth, which may be quickly and conveniently operated to unlock and to lock the knee joint thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved leg brace and locking kneejoint of such sturdy construction and simple operation as to instill confidence in the user or wearer.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved leg braceas above characterized, which affords extra support when the knee joint is locked and yet provides for a much easier and more convenient release of the lock than has heretofore been provided.

'A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a novel lockingknee joint type of leg brace which is characterized by a plurality of points of support at the joint, thereby to impart greater stability to the brace.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved leg brace and locking means therefor,

wherein concentrated wear on any specified area is vir-.

tually eliminated, and wherein the forces or stresses encountered in the locking mechanism are equally distributed.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved, lockable knee joint type of leg braceas above characterized, which does not require bending or stooping on the part of the wearer in order to release. the locking mechanism for the knee joint. v

-A still further feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved locking-type leg brace which is so constituted that the lock will not inadvertently become released at any time, but may be released only in response to an international act on the part of the wearer. I

Yet another feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved orthopedic device of the above type, which provides a maximum amount of support with a minimum of bulk and Weight.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved locking-type leg brace in accordance with the foregoing, which will automatically become locked when the leg is straightened or placed in an upright position, without requiring any act on the part'of the wearer to accomplish this.

A still further feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved leg brace, wherein the wearer may make minor adjustments as these may become necessary without the necessity of obtaining aid from a professional orthopedic technician.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved leg brace in accordance with any and all of the foregoing, which is nevertheless simple in construction and economical to fabricate and produce.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear. In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts wherever possible in the several views, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a leg brace made in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a transverse horizontal section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

As shown, the improved leg brace of the present invention comprises an elongate upper brace member and an elongate lower brace member 11 adapted to extend respectively above and below the normal location of the knee joint of a leg. The lower brace member 11 is provided with an upper, bifurcated extremity indicated gen erally by the numeral 12, said extremity being of enlarged cross section and having a transverse, parallel-walled slot 13 defined by a pair of upwardly-extending bearing pillars I of lugs 14 and 15. The upper surfaces 16 and 17 of the pillars 14 and 15 are faced ed to lie in a common plane which is at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the lower brace member 11. Y

Upstanding from the pillars 14 and 15 are locking lugs 18 and 19 respectively, said lugs being of rectangular configuration as shown and projecting an appreciable distance above the surfaces 16, 17 of the pillars.

The upper brace member 10 comprises a heavy fiat strip having a thickness which provides a slidable fit for it in the slot 13 of the lower member 11. Also, the width of the strip 10 is preferably commensurate with the Widths of the upstanding lugs 18 and 19 of the member 11. The

upper member 10 and the pillars 14 and 15 of the lower member 11 are provided with aligned bearing apertures as indicated at 20, and a pivot pin 21 extends through said apertures and effects a pivotal connection between the members Ill-and 11, such connection constituting the knee joint of the leg brace.

The upper and lower brace members 10 and 11 may be advantageously formed of tough, hardened and tempered machine steel or tool steel of appreciable carbon content, and by virtue of the bifurcated construction of the lower member, extending on opposite sides of the uppermember, .together with. the relatively heavy and sturdy pivot pin there is provided a very durableand strong joint structure even though the members constitut ing the same are of relatively small size and weight. It

will be appreciated that such joint construction is thus extremely advantageous in an orthopedic brace, and enables great strength to be had without requiring a large mass or Weight.

In accordance with this invention I provide a novel and improved, simplified locking means of sturdy yet simple construction, and one which may be easily and conveniently actuated. by the wearer of, the brace, to effect locking of the upper and lower members 10 and 11 in aligned positions, such locking means including the upstanding lugs 18 and 19 formed on the extremities 14 and 15, respectively, of the lower member 11. This improved locking means further comprises a slidable locking member 24 having a slide portion 25 adapted to closely slidably fit on the upper brace member 10, and having a locking head 26 of enlarged girth, provided with locking notches or grooves 27 adapted to slidably receive the upstanding lugs 18 and 19. The locking member 24 is movable longitudinally on the upper brace member 10 and may be urged downward into locking engagement with the lower brace member 11 either by the force of gravity acting on its weight, or else by a helical extension spring 30 anchored at its ends to the members 11 and 24. i The lowermost transverse surfaces 31 of the locking member 24 are faced off square, and extend in a common plane, such surfaces being engageable with the upper surfaces 16 and 17 of the locking head 15 of the brace member 11. With such engagement, the locking lugs 18 and 19 will be extended into the locking notches 27,

A thereby effecting a positive, strong and sturdy locking Further, in accordance with this invention, for the quickly and conveniently actuated for unlocking the knee joint, I provide a release member 33 which, is slidably carried by the upper brace member in a position to be within the grasp orreach of the hand of a wearer. A cable rod or link 3.4 connects the release member 33 with the locking member 24, thereby to effect a lifting movement of said locking member when the release mem: ber 33 is pulled upward by the user.

The slidable locking member 24vmay be fabricated from high carbon steel, hardened and tempered, thereby to provide great strength witha relatively small amount of weight'and bulk.

It will be readily appreciated that I have provided by this invention, in accordance with the above structure, a

novel and improved, very strong and sturdy yet simple and lightweight articulated legbrace, having a lockable knee joint which may be easily and quickly released by The, said leg braceis of such simple and; sturdy construction that it cannot become easily broken or get outv of order, norwill it. show appreciable wear even though used over a long period of time. The cothe wearer.

operable locking parts are strong and sturdy While at the same time being extremely simple in structure, thus making for great reliability and eliminating the necessity for any servicing operations. which the leg brace is called upcnto carry, either only Depending on the load or stress one, or else both of the locking lugs 18, 19 may be incorporated, and if only one lug is utilized, the slidable locking member 24 and particularly the locking head 26 thereof may be of lesser thickness,"wit-h the locking notch thereof provided only at one side of theupper brace member 10. However, a considerable advantage ensues from the-provision of the double locking lugs and cooperable notches, since a balanced construction is had. together with a division of stress, enabling the components to more readily carry the loads imposed on them during usage of the brace.

lt will be readily understood that where a .very heavy .weiglit or load is to be carried by the "leg brace, such brace may be duplicated on the other side ofthe leg with;

the usual curved and/ or padded connector straps joining V be usedrwithout others. M

I claim:.

Anforthopedic leg brace comprising first and second purpose of enabling the slidable locking member 24 to be I v p V brace members, a bifurcated extremityon said first brace member, said extremity being of anenlarged cross section and having a transverse parallelewalled slot defined by a pair of bearing pillars, said bearing pillars each having a' pair of faced off surfaces which lie transverse to the longitudinal axis of said first brace member, each of said surfaces of each pillar being aligned transversely of said slot with a corresponding surface of the other pillar to form aligned pairs of surfaces, said bearing pillars each having locking lugs extending upwardly an appreciable distance from said faced off surfaces, the lug of each pillar being aligned with the. lug of the opposite pillar, said second brace member comprising a flat strip having a thickness which provides a slidable fit for it in said slot of the bifurcated extremity on said first brace member, said second brace member being pivotally connected in 7 said slot to said first brace member by a pivot means extending through said pillars, a locking meanscomprising a slidable locking'member having a slide portionadapted to closely slidably fit on said second brace member and having a locking headof enlarged girth, provided with locking notches adapted to slidably receive the 'lugs on the bearing pillars to resist arcuate movement of said -thebracesi lFor-such an arrangement the locking action a 7 described above, and the advantages thereof,will also be p realized. 1

bearing pillars, said locking member being movable longitudinally'on the second brace member and having faced "off surfaces which are engageable with the faced off surfaces of said bearing pillars when said locking member is moved into locking engagement with said" first brace member, means affixed to said'locking member and one of said bearing pillars normally urging said locking membert toward said locking lugs and into engagement with said lugs, a release member slidably carried by the second brace member, said release member being connected to said locking member by a link so that the locking member may be released fromits' locking position by pulling on said release member. 1 x 1 .f

References Cited in the file of this patent V V UNITED STATES PATENTS 302,433 Scott 11111 22, 1884 11,939,097 B'auman; D'ec.12,1933 2,462,560 Schmidt c Feb. 22,1949 2,573,866 ,Murphy L;;'Nov. 6,?1951 7 2,812,760 Miller et al Nov. 12,1937

o'THEa REFERENCES 7 Jordan; Orthopedic"Appliances? 1939, 12s ,s .11

(Fig. 70 reliedon). (Copy available in Division 

